The Washington critic., 1887-08-16
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Senator Evafts has for years owned
apiincely estate of 300 acres on both
sides of the Connecticut River Mt
Windsor, VI, which he makes his
summer home. Runnymedc, as he
calls 1t, is also associated with his
early life of love, courtship and mar.
riuge. 1t was to Windsor that he
came as a young graduate of Yale,
visiting his sister, when he met Ellen
Wardner. II was to Windsor that he
came q couple Of years after, rising
young lawyer Of New York. TO claim
the hand, having won the heart. of the
beautiful Green Mountain belle. A
few years after, IA comfort and abund-
ance rewarded his efforts at the bar,
he purchased the stately old New Eng.
lard mansion in which his wife passed
her infant, girlhood and maiden life.
1t was the nucleus of the Runnymede
estate, which has since expanded into
one of princely appointments. comfort
and txpanse. Here the great men of
New England and New York have par.
taken of the generous hospitaities of
liberal host. Here family of
six boys and five girls have
passed the happiest portions of
their lives. Turning from the noun
tain shores of the Connecticut to
the gentle, wooded uudulations of the
banks OF the Potomac, we find
the new estate In the midst of
the once pa,rimonial acres Of fami.
lies of ancient pedigree. On both
banks Of the Potomac, from the CAPT
tai to the St. Mary's River. near the
Chesapeake bay, may be seen the
manor houses of the old estates. The
Baltimores and Marshalls on the Mary.
land side, and the Washingtons and
Fairfaxes opposite In Virginia. The
Swan Creek and the Potomac, upon
the thickly wooded eminence upon
which stands Mount Vernon, the home
and tomb of Washington. The eld-
est son of Mr.. Evarts, Charles, who
has always had the superintendent of
the farm at Windsor, will take charge
of the new one in Maryland. which
will be improved and beautiied for oc.
cupancy Us soon as practicable.
~
Says the Washington correspondent
of the Philadelphia Press: For the
most part the President and Colonel
Lamont live to themselves, the latter
coming TO the White House daily, but
the former quite rarely. The Presi.
dent rises before 7, dons his blue serge
suit, which embraces a sack coat, vest
and pantaloous alike, takes down his
wide brimmed straw hat from its peg,
and, cigar In mouth, strolls through his
big vegetable garden before his 8 o clock
breakfast. Then comes the aarriage
from the White House to bring
Colonel Lamont In and take out
the morning newspapers and mail
the latter always including letter
from Mrs. Cleveland, and after the
official letters are looked over the Col
onel comes In for his days work, re.
turning at about 5 o'clock to dine with
of his time on his piazza and greatly
enjoys the idea of ownership of land
Strangely enough, he does very little
driving out There is but one horse
on the premises. and he Is there for
farm work. All the carriage horses
are kept In the White House sta.
bles, and their owner makes little dc.
mand upon them In these days. There
is Il female cook at Oak View, and
Mrs. Cleveland's comely maid Is also
there In the absence of her mistress.
These are the only two representatives
OF the diviner sex In the Presidents
bachelor establishment.
~
A facetious friend of mine. says
Nacfarland In the Philadelphia Record,
who knows John Sherman very well,
happened TO be at Shermans home, in
Mansfield, during the extremely hot
spell last month. One day he looked
over at Sherman working steadily away
at his desk without willing his collar
or turning hair, and quietly re
marked "I'm very fortunate to be
staying with you during this hot
weather." Yes" responded Sher.
man, "this house stands on the highest
spot in Ohio, it's usually pretty cool
even ON hot days" Then he looked
up, caught the twinkle in my friends
eye and laughed "Ye', they
do say that am cold But
l don't know why they should"
] must confess that | don't, either
Sherman Is not spuuIiug geyser, but
on the other hand, he Is not frozen
well, Edmunds and he have been as
cruelty annoyed IN this respect by the
Conscienceloss paragraphers NJ tue
mother In law or the real ice man.
Both OF these lciCle statesmen have
friends who could neither be won nor
held by such persons ms they are falsely
represented as being. They haven I
Baincs magnetism any more than
some of his other qr .iities, but they
have agreeable manners, good stories
and hospitabe ways.
~.
Speaking Of eX Senator Thurman,
the same correspondent, says; His hair
and beard are getting white very rap
idly, and he feels his age Ia his i1lnts.
Yet he manages to get about pretty
comfortably, and he Is the same de.
lighlful companion that lie always was.
He reads more than ever In these latter
days, and as he observes MS closely rs
ever, and his wit knows no duln1'',
bis conversation Ia even richer than 1t
Ever was. Il strong, natural ltlng has
produced a strong friendship aatNcen
Thurman and the Pro. icut They
think alike on most qu ions. Their
mental processes are very slm'lI
Both have the sturdy moral qualities
Tint we call "RDman virtue %